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State Library of Iowa

1112 East Grand Avenue,
800-248-4483

Mission Statement

The State Library of Iowa strengthens Iowa libraries and information access for Iowans.

About Us:

The State Library of Iowa actively champions libraries. The two roles of the agency are to improve library services in Iowa and deliver specialized information services to state government and Iowans.

The State Library began as a territorial library in 1838 by an Act of Congress and transitioned to an agency when Iowa reached statehood in 1846, with the mission to provide services to state government. Over the years, this mission grew to include the planning and development of library services on a statewide basis.

Today, the State Library, a division of the Iowa Department of Education, offers a multitude of services and programs to the libraries and citizens of Iowa. The agency is governed by a nine-member Commission of Libraries with the authority to receive and approve the State Library budget and plan of service, appoint the State Librarian, and adopt rules to carry out the responsibilities of the State Library.

The State Library is organized into two main areas:

- The Library Support Network is comprised of six district offices around the state and the Des Moines office in the Ola Babcock Miller building on the Capitol complex. Library Support Network staff help librarians be the best information resources in their towns, as well as community partners as they help further their library's strategic plans and economic goals. 

- Specialized Library Services staff at the Law Library in the Capitol provide reference and information services to state government employees, people working in the legal profession, and the citizens of Iowa through onsite collections, online databases, and research capabilities. 

Recent News

State Library of Iowa Updates - January 2024

District and Statewide Happenings Friday Forum Let's hope the bitter cold is behind us! Please excuse the late notice, but it is time again for our monthly Friday Forum, a place for you to talk with other librarians about whatever is on your mind.…

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State Library of Iowa: E-Rate Form 471 Window Opening

E-Rate Form 471 Filing Window Opening Now is the time to request internet funding assistance. The FCC has announced that the filing window for the Form 471 is opening on January 17, 2024. It will remain open until 11:59 ET on March 27, 2024. …

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POP YS Con 2024 Call for Proposals Information

Pop YS Con: Call For Proposals Now Open! Share Your Knowledge With Youth Librarians Statewide! If you have a great program, service or concept for youth or teens that you're passionate to share with your fellow youth librarians; submit a proposal…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - January 12, 2024

News from the CE Team Announcement Reminders & ILOC Registration Happy New Year! 2023 went out like a lamb (as far as weather goes); 2024 seems determined to be in like a lion. I hope you and your patrons are staying safe and warm. It's a good…

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State Library of Iowa - Northwest District Office Hours

Northwest District Office Hours January and Upcoming ... Northwest Office Hours are back this month with two chances to chat. Choose either Tuesday January 16 OR Thursday January 18, whichever best fits your schedule. Then note Northwest Office…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - January 8, 2024

New Year New Year, New Big Ideas Book Discussions February 16th Basically Incredible by Matt Booth It’s a new year of Big Ideas Book Discussions! The first title we’ll take up this year—on Friday February 16—is Basically…

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State Library of Iowa Northeast District News - January 3, 2024

Open Forum this Friday Wow, 2024! Are you ready for it to be a new year? You're all welcome to join other library staff this Friday, January 5th from 10:30-11:30. Come ready to talk about whatever is on your mind. It's a time to share your good…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - January 2024

So many cool things are on the horizon at the State Library! I'm excited for 2024 - and I hope you are too! Please join us for the upcoming POP YS Con in April (and submit a proposal, too!) as well as attend the All Iowa Reads events, POP YS Live…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - December 29, 2023

Happy New Year! At the close of one year and start of the next, I want to dedicate the CE Newsletter to a couple more announcement-y type things, rather than our usual calendar of events. However, that doesn't mean we don't have A LOT planned…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - December 18, 2023

ILOC 2024 Keynotes Announced Morning Keynote: Communicating with Stakeholders for Results Jay Turner If you work in a library, chances are you are responsible for multiple projects and programs. In this pithy yet powerful keynote, Jay Turner…

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Northwest District Office Hours December 2023

Northwest District Office Hours December Northwest Office Hours are back this month with two chances to chat. Choose either Tuesday December 19 OR Thursday December 21, whichever best fits your schedule. Then turning the calendar page…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - December 15, 2023

Register for ILOC Today! On Thursday, January 25, 2024, the ILOC conference will encourage attendees to consider sustainable operations, long-term outcomes, and positive community differences the library makes. Throughout the day, we will…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - December 11, 2023

Holiday Books For Kids As Heard On Iowa Public Radio This article is thanks to Janee Jackson-Doering, State Library Youth Services Consultant. Janee recently appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa and shared some of her…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District Updates - December 7, 2023

Southeast Holiday Happenings Friday Open Forum Grab some Christmas cookies and cocoa and join us this month for a get together as we head into the holidays. We have had some great conversations this year and I'd like to hear about your hopes for…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - December 2023

Join us on Wednesday, January 17 for the 2024 All Iowa Reads Author Presentations from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Each author will share insights about their book and answer your questions! You'll also receive an overview of State Library resources to…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - December 1, 2023

ILOC Call for Proposals Closes Today! This is your last chance to submit to ILOC, coming up January 25, 2024. The theme for this year’s conference is “Libraries are Forever!” Library staff and trustees who have demonstrated…

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State Library of Iowa Northeast District News - November 29, 2023

Next Open forum There's snow on the ground, so I guess I can no longer deny that winter is coming. Hope you're staying warm. You are all welcome to join other library staff this Friday, December 1st from 10:30-11:30 to talk about whatever is on…

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North Central Office Hours for November 2023

North Central District - November 2023 Open Office Hours Please join me and other librarians and staff from around the district in our open office hour networking sessions at whatever time works best for you. Remember these are informal sessions…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - November 20, 2023

E-Rate Window Is Open Discounts For Internet Service For public libraries interested in participating in the E-Rate Program, the filing window has opened for FY2024-25. Under the auspices of the FCC, the federal E-Rate Program helps make…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - November 17, 2023

ILOC Call for Proposals Open The State Library of Iowa invites you to submit session proposals for the annual ILOC conference to be held on Thursday, January 25, 2024. The theme for this year’s conference is “Libraries are…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District News - November 15, 2023

Looking for ILOC Proposals The State Library of Iowa invites you to submit session proposals for the annual ILOC conference to be held on Thursday, January 25, 2024. Library staff and trustees who have demonstrated ways to prove the library is…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - November 13, 2023

Bridges Fees To Increase In FY2025 Following the Bridges User Group Meetings in October, the Bridges Team at the State Library received helpful feedback regarding possible changes to Bridges membership fees. When fees were increased two years…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District News - November 7, 2023

ILA Planning Day: Next Week In Cherokee! For Northwest Iowa library staff and trustees, this is welcome news: the Iowa Library Association is holding its annual Planning Day in Cherokee. It's next week Tuesday November 14 at the Cherokee Yacht…

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State Library Of Iowa News: Monday Morning Eye-Opener November 6, 2023

Applications Now Open Inside IowaGrants.gov The State Library of Iowa is pleased to announce that we are offering six space utilization grants of up to $3,000 each. This news was announced in the Eye-Opener last week, now this week the grant…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - November 3, 2023

Learning Opportunities for Summer 2024 Summer 2024 will soon be underway - and we're gearing up for ways to help you plan for Read, Renew and Repeat! New This Year: Summer Reading Office Hours: State Library Consultant Janeé…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - November 2023

Learning Opportunities for Summer 2024 Summer 2024 will soon be underway - and we're gearing up for ways to help you plan for Read, Renew and Repeat! New This Year: - Summer Reading Office Hours: State Library Consultant Janeé…

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State Library of Iowa Northeast District Newsletter - November 1, 2023

Open Forum This Friday, November 3, will be our monthly Open Forum. Meet with other library staff at 10:30 to ask questions and share stories. Friday, November 3 at 10:30 AM Friday, December 1 at 10:30 AM Eunice's Zoom Room …

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State Library Of Iowa News: Monday Morning Eye-Opener October 30, 2023

Space Utilization Grants ... Grants Available November 6th The State Library of Iowa is excited to announce that we are offering six Space Utilization Grants of up to $3,000 each. These grants open next Monday November 6th. The process…

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State Library Of Iowa News: Monday Morning Eye-Opener October 23, 2023

Titles Chosen For All Iowa Reads In 2024 This year marked the 20th anniversary of the All Iowa Reads program. And the beat goes on: last week the three books chosen for All Iowa Reads in 2024 were announced on Iowa Public Radio. On the Talk of…

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State Library Of Iowa News - October 19, 2023

Northwest District Bulletin You Are Invited To ... An Evening With Author Cheryl Grey Bostrom Northwest Iowa library staff and trustees are cordially invited to an evening with author Cheryl Grey Bostrom on Thursday November 2nd at…

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State Library Of Iowa Newsletter October 20, 2023

Virtual Conference from the State Library: January 25, 2024 It's hard to believe, I know, but are you ready for ILOC? This event started as a virtual conference in 2008 as a way for Iowa librarians to stay connected during the winter months…

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State Library of Iowa News - October 18, 2023

Monthly Office Hours Opportunity to Network This is a friendly reminder and your invitation to join other Central District Librarians for our monthly "office hours" online gathering. This is a great way to meet and network with other librarians.…

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State Library Of Iowa Announces The 2024 All Iowa Reads Selections

The All Iowa Reads selections for 2024 were announced live today on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa program with host Charity Nebbe. Nebbe was joined by All Iowa Reads committee member Kamryn Kronschnabel of the Charles City Public Library to…

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State Library Of Iowa News : Monday Morning Eye-Opener October 16, 2023

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State Library of Iowa News - October 16, 2023

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Earn Continuing Education For The ILA 2023 Annual Conference

Use this form to tell the State Library of Iowa CE Team which ILA 2023 Annual Conference sessions you attended. Welcome back from ILA 2023! We hope you had a great conference, learned a lot, and came back to your library energized and excited…

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State Library Of Iowa News : Monday Morning Eye-Opener October 9, 2023

Next in Big Ideas Book Discussions The Art Of Talking With Children November 17th The last title in this year’s Big Ideas Book Discussion series is The Art of Talking With Children (c2022) by Rebecca Rolland. The subtitle itself provides…

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - October 6, 2023

Out and About: Travels with Sam Happy Fall, Y'all! Between the ARSL Conference (two weeks ago), the Learning Circuit (last week), and the ILA Conference (next week), PLUS all the cool CE stuff listed below, there's a little going on, eh? Read on…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - October 2023

The 2024 All Iowa Reads season will be soon upon us! Join us as we partner with Iowa Public Radio (IPR) again to announce the new titles for the 2024 All Iowa Reads, Teen All Iowa Reads, and Kids All Iowa Reads programs on Talk of Iowa Wednesday,…

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State Library Of Iowa News : Monday Morning Eye-Opener October 2, 2023

October presents an opportunity to recognize the efforts of Library Friends Groups during National Friends of Libraries Week October 15-21. And it’s United For Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, that coordinates…

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State Library Of Iowa News: Monday Morning Eye-Opener September 25, 2023

Meeting Room Reservations Free to Public Libraries From WhoFi This news is thanks to Christian Gutteridge, Marketing Coordinator with WhoFi. Christian contributes this article about one of WhoFi’s newest features: meeting room reservations.…

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State Library Of Iowa CE Newsletter - September 22, 2023

In-Person Branding Workshop Scheduled for November Branding on a Budget: Achieve More with Less Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Marion Public Library Ever pondered the power behind a library's unique brand? It's more than just…

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State Library Of Iowa Board Education Opportunities And Reminders

Library Board Education Opportunities & Reminders Take advantage of upcoming education opportunities for your library board of trustees to grow the knowledge & skills of your library board! Webinar Series... "Intersections" First up,…

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State Library Of Iowa News : Monday Morning Eye-Opener September 11, 2023

Summer Library Survey Open Prize Pack Available, Too! Library directors and youth services staff should have received a bulletin last week regarding a summer reading survey. State Library Consultant Janee Jackson-Doering sent that bulletin…

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State Library Of Iowa News - September 11, 2023

Northwest District Bulletin Northwest District Office Hours September And Into The Fall Northwest Office Hours are back this week with two chances to chat. Choose either Tuesday September 12 OR Thursday September 14, whichever best fits your…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District News - September 7, 2023

Friday Open Forum Let's talk about how your summers went and catch up on all the changes around the district. Join us to meet with fellow librarians and talk about what is going on at your library. Let me know if there is anything special you want…

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State Library of Iowa Newsletter September 2023

2023 Summer Library Program Survey Open Enter to Win a Prize Pack of Books! The 2023 Summer Library Program survey is now available! The survey asks about the in person, online, and passive programs offered as well as the total number of attendees…

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Northwest and Southwest Iowa Libraries: Telescope Giveaway

The 2023 Library Telescope Giveaway Courtesy of the Omaha Astronomical Society Mike Modrcrin, Outreach Coordinator with the Omaha Astronomical Society (OAS) recently reached out to Northwest and Southwest District Offices with this news. The OAS…

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State Library of Iowa NE District News - August 30, 2023

Open Forum This Friday, September 1, will be our monthly Open Forum. After the summer, we are back to our regular schedule. Meet with other library staff from 9-10 to talk about whatever issues are on your mind. - Friday, September 1 at 10:30 AM …

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - August 28, 2023

State Library Receives Important Grant To Further Social Work in Iowa Libraries Project State Library of Iowa was recently awarded a grant of $246,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of the Laura Bush 21st Century…

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - August 25, 2023

From the CE Team New Intersections Series for Library Board Trustees and City Government Colleagues Intersections: Where City and Library Meet is a three-part series, designed for library boards and cities, highlighting best practices for city…

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State Library of Iowa News - SW Large Print Rotation

The current Large Print Rotation will wrap up on October 1st. If you would like to join us for the next rotation please email Carrie Falk for information or join us during SW Open Office Hours hosted by Misty Gray on Wednesday, September 13th at…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener - August 21, 2023

The Boardroom Series This Fall September Through November The Boardroom comes back this fall with a 3-part series titled Intersections. Starting in September and continuing through November, Intersections explores 3 keys areas where close…

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State Library of Iowa News - North Central Office Hours for August 2023

North Central District - August 2023 Open Office Hours Please join me and other librarians and staff from around the district in our open office hour networking sessions at whatever time works best for you. Remember these are informal sessions…

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State Library of Iowa News - August 14, 2023

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Southeast District News - August 2023

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State Library Of Lowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener August 14, 2023

Public Library Annual Survey FY23 Open And Ready For Filing On August 1s, library directors should have received an email from State Library Consultant Scott Dermont announcing that the FY23 Public Library Annual Survey (July 2022-June 2023) is…

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Click here to View the Information About "State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - August 1, 2023"

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State Library Awarded $246,000 Grant To Further Support Social Work Efforts In Iowa Libraries

The State Library has been awarded a grant of more than $246,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as part of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. The grant will be used on efforts to support the psychosocial needs of Iowa…

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State Library Of Lowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener August 7, 2023

Learning Circuits 2023 Registration Is Now Open Last week’s Eye-Opener included a preview of the State Library’s Learning Circuit this fall. Scheduled for September 28, from 9:00AM-3:30PM at six locations across the state,…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - August 2023

Summer Reading 2023 Recap It's a wrap on Summer Reading 2023! Lots of fun events were held this summer, and I enjoyed seeing so many special events! Congratulations everyone on hosting a wonderful Summer Reading Program! 2023 Summer Survey Coming…

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - August 1, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - July 31, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - July 24, 2023

Enrich Iowa Reports Due July 31 Libraries that receive Enrich Iowa funds through the Open Access, Interlibrary Loan, or Direct State Aid programs must submit reports by July 31. Library directors will need to file Enrich Iowa Reports indicating…

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State Library of Iowa News - July 17, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - July 17, 2023

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - July 14, 2023

From the CE Team Save-the-Date for the Fall Learning Circuit! Thursday, September 28, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., 6 in-person locations around the state Save the date for the 2023 Learning Circuit! We'll follow the same format we did last year:…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District News - July , 2023

Friday Open Forum Reminder July Southeast Open Forum, Friday, July 21 from 9-10. What do you need to talk about? Here is your chance to speak with other library directors about anything. We like to share ideas, proud moments and concerns. …

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State Library of Iowa News - July , 2023

Open Office Hours Please join me and other librarians and staff from around the district in our open office hour networking sessions at whatever time works best for you. Remember these are informal sessions where we can connect with other…

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State Library of Iowa News - July 10, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - July 10, 2023

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State Library Of Iowa Northwest District News -July 5, 2023

NE Open Forum Join other Northeast District librarians for our monthly networking time. Are you celebrating the end of your summer library program or just getting started? How's it going? Please note the change to our regular Open Forum schedule.…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - July , 2023

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - June 30, 2023

From the CE Team Collection Cultivation: Maintain Your Library Collection through Weeding Tuesdays in August, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. You’ve asked for it, and we’re answering! One of the most-often requested training topics on CE…

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - June 26, 2023

League of Cities Webinar This Week Re: Property Taxes and Special Levies A webinar this Wednesday June 28 is of special significance because it will offer an explanation of House File 718, legislation recently passed by the Iowa Legislature…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District Bulletin - June 22, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - June 19, 2023

Congratulations to ARSL Conference Grant Winners The State Library is pleased to announce the six recipients of scholarships to attend the Association for Rural & Small Libraries Annual Conference this fall. From dozens of applications…

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - June 16, 2023

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter : June 2, 2023

From the CE Team New Series: Lunch with the State Library Monthly on the First Tuesday from 12:15 - 12:45 p.m. Lunch With The State Library Graphic Soup's on! Introducing Lunch with the State Library, a year-long series of short sessions designed…

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State Library Of Iowa Northwest District News - May, 30 2023

NE Open Forum Join other Northeast District librarians for our monthly networking time. You can ask questions, share successes, and meet people from across our district. We'll have Ashleigh Matos of WhoFi as a special guest in June. She'll share…

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State Library of Iowa News - May 22, 2023

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter : May 19, 2023

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State Library of Iowa: Monday Morning Eye-Opener - May 15, 2023

Iowa Book Award Winners Chosen By Young Readers From the Iowa Association of School Libraries (IASL) comes the latest Iowa book award winners for 2022-2023. IASL, a subdivision of the Iowa Library Association, advocates for strong school…

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State Library of Iowa News - May 15, 2023

We're One Month Away from All Iowa Reads Virtual Author Visits! The three authors of the 2023 All Iowa Reads titles will appear in virtual visits this June. The visits are free and open to the public; registration is required. At each event,…

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The Great IA Shares Bag Count Set for May 25, 2023

On Thursday, May 25, the State Library will be holding the first Great IA Shares Bag Count. Librarians will be asked to count and report the number of filled and empty IA Shares bags in their library to an online form that will be available that…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District News - May 2023

Southeast Happenings Friday Open Forum Join us via zoom for some casual conversations where we talk about whatever issues are on your mind. This is a place for you to connect with librarians across our district and a great chance to pose questions…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District News - May, 3 2023

Open Forum Join us for NE Open Forum this Friday. These are informal gatherings in Zoom, casual conversations where we talk about whatever issues are on your mind. It's an great chance to pose questions of each other and share solutions that work…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - April 28, 2023

From the CE Team Director Roundtables The 2023 Director Roundtables will kick off on May 9 in State Center; the first of 17 locations across the state in May, with multiple events to choose from in each district! A longtime staple in the…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for April 24, 2023

This Is National Library Week! Let's Celebrate Libraries This is the premier week for library trustees, staff, patrons, and advocates to celebrate our nation’s libraries. This is National Library Week April 23-29. Sponsored since 1958 by the…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District News - April 17, 2023

Northwest District Office Hours and More! NW Office Hours Spring & Summer Welcome, Spring! Northwest Office Hours schedule for spring and summer months shows below, with two chances to chat in April, June, July, and August. To place…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for April 10, 2023

Enrich Iowa Letters of Agreement Ready to Sign, Due April 30 Iowa libraries of all types—public, college, schools, and specials—should have received a message from State Library Consultant Scott Dermont regarding Enrich Iowa Letters…

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State Library of Iowa SE District Newsletter - April 18, 2023

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - April 14, 2023

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State Library of Iowa North East District News - April 5, 2023

Coming up in NE Iowa NE Open forum Join us for NE Open Forum this Friday (April 7) at 10:30 am. These are informal gatherings in Zoom, casual conversations where we talk about whatever issues are on your mind. It's an great chance to pose…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener April 3, 2023

Next In The Boardroom: The Board's Role in Staffing Transitions The next Boardroom webinar, scheduled for May 25th (6:00-7:30PM) takes up the topic of staffing transitions. Having successfully hired a new library director, does the board have…

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter - March 31, 2023

From the CE Team STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits Have Wrapped! We had so much fun out and about around the state at the STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits in March. Thank you to all our presenters, host sites, and attendees for making…

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State Library Launching STEM To GoAnd Storytime Kits For Checkout To Libraries

State Library Launching STEM To Go & Storytime Kits for Checkout to Libraries If you attended the STEM Fairs or Summer Reading Summits around the state this month, you heard the exciting news: the State Library is launching STEM To Go and…

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State Library of Iowa Newsletter - March 29, 2023

Earth's Bounty Project sign up now open The State Library is launching an exciting Oral History project, Earth’s Bounty in Iowa: Then and Now. Members of the public will be able to tell their own stories about growing up on a farm in Iowa. …

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State Library of Iowa CE Newsletter : March 17, 2023

Director Roundtables Registration Now Open! This spring, Director Roundtables will follow our overall education theme for 2023: “Productive Partnerships.” With last year’s theme (“Make Room for Yes”) as a jumping off…

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State Library of Iowa: Southeast Friday Open Forum-March 2023

Friday Forum THIS WEEK Join us for conversation with your colleagues and peers this Friday. This is a place for you to connect with librarians across our district and discuss things that are important to you. This week, we also have a special…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener March 13, 2023

Director Roundtables In May A longtime staple in our Continuing Education calendar, Director Roundtables are coming back in May. Roundtables are another way we can go deeper into the annual CE theme. In a guided discussion format, library…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District Bulletin - March 8, 2023

Too. Much. Snow. Join us virtually to chat about summer during a snowstorm. Well, there's always a risk to scheduling in-person events in March, and we were reminded of it this week thanks to (another) winter storm pummeling its way to Cherokee…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for March 6, 2023

National Library Week Is Coming ... April 23-29, 2023 Turning the calendar to March leads to thoughts of spring, Daylight Saving Time, and National Library Week—coming up April 23-29. Sponsored since 1958 by the American Library…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - March 3, 2023

News from the CE Team Room Remains for Summer Reading Summits Near You! We still have plenty of space in our upcoming Summer Reading Summits across the state throughout the month of March. Come find inspiration for your library's summer reading…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for February 27, 2023

ILA Advocacy Day March 7th The Iowa Library Association urges library trustees, directors, and staff at all levels to attend Advocacy Day, this year scheduled for Tuesday March 7th. This annual event takes place at the State Law Library, housed…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for February 20, 2023

AARP Community Challenge Grants Applications Due In March AARP is sponsoring Community Challenge Grants this spring. Public libraries are encouraged to apply and encourage community partners to do the same. Launched in 2017, the annual AARP…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District Bulletin - February 20, 2023

Northwest District Office Hours and More! New Year of NW Office Hours Northwest District Office Hours are back in the new year. Depending on calendar constraints, some months offer two opportunities to chat. Choose either Tuesday OR Thursday,…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - February 17, 2023

News from the CE Team ILOC Recordings Now Available We are about a month out from the ILOC 2023 Conference and we have all the recordings from the conference ready to go! A huge thank you to Angela Forret for her hard work in processing these and…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for February 13, 2023

Big Talk From Small Libraries Conference Sponsored By Nebraska February 24th Just last month, the State Library of Iowa held our annual online conference called ILOC. Now this month, our neighbors at the Nebraska State Library hold their annual…

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You're Invited: Library Board Training on Policies on February 28, 2023

Join the State Library for an evening of library board training on the topic of policies. The Boardroom Series 2023 continues with part two of Policy Watch: Policies Lost and Found. It is not necessary to have attended part one to join us for this…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for February 6, 2023

Bridges Annual Enrollment Time On Feb 6th, an early reminder about an annual happening in March each year—that’s the annual Bridges Sign-Up. By March 31st, current Bridges libraries need to re-enroll to renew their participation. And…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - February 6, 2023

News from the CE Team Lots going on! And scroll down for new Kernels. Usually I reserve this space for a special announcements from the CE Team... For this newsletter I'll just content myself to say WE'RE BUSY! Whew! Scroll down to see all the…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - February 2023

Summer Reading Program Canva Templates Access Templates On State Library's Summer Reading Webpage The State Library created Canva templates for libraries to customize and use with the Summer Library Program theme Find Your Voice. At the…

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State Library of Iowa North East District Newsletter - February 1, 2023

NE Open Forum Join Eunice and other Northeast District librarians for an hour of networking on the first Friday of each month. You can ask questions, share successes, and meet people from across our district. Next Up: Friday, February 3, 10:30…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for January 30, 2023

STEM Scale-Up Applications Open... Applications Due in February Public libraries are eligible to receive STEM materials thanks to awards from the Governor's STEM Council. The acronym should be familiar: it stands for…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for January 23, 2023

New Year, New Boardroom Webinars Policy Watch Part 2 The Boardroom Series begins a new year of webinars in February with a continued discussion of some policy topics not commonly addressed. We started this topic last November in discussing the…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - January 20, 2023

Last Chance to Register The 2023 ILOC Conference is less than a week away! There’s still time and space to register if you’re hoping to attend all or part of the day. We kick off the day at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 26 with our…

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STEM Scale-Up Applications Due February 28, 2023!

Libraries Qualify Here is an opportunity for your library to receive STEM resources and materials. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This opportunity is available through the Governor's STEM Council. Please note that…

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STEM Scale UP Application Due by February 28, 2023

We wanted to share with you a STEM opportunity for your library. Please note the message from Mauree Haage the North Central Iowa STEM Regional Manager: As you may know, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Council recently released the programs…

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State Library of Iowa North Central District Newsletter - January 2023

Two Office Hours This Month We are happy to offer two different open office hours this month for our North Central libraires. Please join me and other librarians and staff from around the district in our open office hour networking sessions for…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - January 2023

STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits! Registration Is Now Open! Join us for these free, exciting youth events across Iowa! About the STEM Fairs: Our STEM Fairs will feature why STEM matters - and how you can implement STEM activities in…

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Trustee Training Opportunity: Iowa Libraries Online Conference on January 26, 2023

You are invited to the annual Iowa Libraries Online Conference (ILOC) on Thursday, January 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. This FREE online conference offers keynote speakers, informative sessions, and an evening session for trustees - all online.…

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State Library of Iowa News - Bridges Celebrates More Than 2.4 Million Checkouts in 2022

DES MOINES — Bridges, the ebook and audiobook consortium managed by the State Library for Iowa libraries, celebrated more than 2.4 million checkouts by Iowans in 2022. Bridges was one of 129 OverDrive library systems to surpass the 1 million…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District Bulletin - January 13, 2023

Northwest District Office Hours and More! Happy New Year of NW Office Hours Next Monday January 17th is Martin Luther King Day and a state holiday for us, so State Library offices will be closed. Leading to this earlier-than-normal reminder…

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State Library of Iowa Central District Newsletter - January 12, 2023

Monthly Office Hours and C.E. Opportunities Office hours for first quarter Join me (Maryann) and other Central District librarians for an hour of networking on the third Thursday of each month. You can ask questions, share successes, and meet…

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State Library District Consultant Phone Numbers Have Changed

State Library District Consultants (with the exception of North Central Consultant Jay Peterson) recently received new cell phones and were unable to have their previous phone numbers ported over. Please note their new phone numbers below and save…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for January 9, 2023

Next Big Ideas Book Discussion Scheduled for February 17th, the first title in 2023’s Big Ideas Book Discussion series is Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Jones (c2021) Best-selling author and national speaker,…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - January 5, 2023

Announcing the Full ILOC 2023 Schedule Thursday, January 26, 2023 ILOC 2023 will run from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with breaks for lunch and dinner. 2023 Schedule ILOC uses a concurrent session model, with two breakout options in four sessions…

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State Library of Iowa Southeast District Newsletter - January 6, 2023

Schedule Changes I have just a few updates for you! First, I will be out of the office from January 20-February 9. I am thrilled to be headed for the vacation of a lifetime and will be flying to Argentina and then boarding a ship to Antarctica! …

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State Library of Iowa North East District Newsletter - January 5, 2023

Join us for the first NE Open Forum of 2023. These are informal gatherings in Zoom, casual conversations where we talk about whatever issues are on your mind. It's an great chance to pose questions of each other and share solutions that work for…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - December 2022

Coming Soon: In-Person STEM Fairs and Summer Reading Summits! Save The Date! Join us in March for our two-day events: The first day will be a STEM Fair - where youth librarians can learn new ways of bringing STEM activities to their…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for December 19, 2022

Library Service Highlights--Part 2 Because December lends itself to looking back at the year ending, this space last week and again today includes a rewind—a look back at State Library accomplishments this past year, along with local library…

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State Library of Iowa Northwest District Bulletin - December 19, 2022

Northwest District Office Hours This Week December 20th Join Northwest District Office Hours tomorrow Tuesday December 20 (10:30-11:30AM, ZOOM link below) With the holiday approaching, it's just the Tuesday gathering this month. In the New…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - December 19, 2022

Announcing the 2023 ILOC Keynotes 2023 Theme: Productive Partnerships We're pleased to announce the three keynote presentations for ILOC 2023. Read on to find out more and join us Jan. 26 to hear these presentations live! Morning Keynote:…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for December 12, 2022

Library Service Highlights--Part 1 December lends itself to looking back at the year ending, while also looking ahead to a new year of possibilities. With two more issues of Monday Morning Eye-Opener before the holiday break, I’m using this…

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State Library of Iowa North Central District Newsletter - December 12, 2022

Guest Janee' Jackson-Doering Office Hours This Thursday! It's the week of the "third Thursday," so it's time for our monthly Office Hours! This month's session will feature a visit from the State Library's new YS Consultant, Janee'…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for December 5, 2022

Coming January 26, 2023 From the State Library’s Education Team, our thanks to everyone who submitted a proposal for the ILOC Conference in the new year. We received a great batch of submissions, which leads to much excitement as we plan…

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North Central District Open Office Hours for December 2022

Open Office Hours We have book club sets of the AIR books for you! Just email Trisha at [email protected] to reserve a set. We have two sets (10 copies) of How High We Go in the Dark (adult selection), for each district. We have one set…

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State Library of Iowa Continuing Education Newsletter - December 5, 2022

Kernels Relaunch! Kernels is an ongoing series of prerecorded half-hour videos from the State Library. Each installment in the series offers an overview of a program, service, or library methodology applied in a public library setting. Kernels…

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State Library of Iowa North East District Newsletter - November 30, 2022

Open Forum this week Make a little time for yourself this Friday to join the NE Open Forum. This time between holidays can be so stressful. These are informal gatherings in Zoom, casual conversations where we talk about whatever issues are on your…

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State Library of Iowa Monday Morning Eye-Opener for November 21, 2022

Two Grants For Small, Rural Libraries A recent issue of the ARSL Newsletter (Association for Rural and Small Libraries) included two grant opportunities worth looking into. One comes from ALA’s Libraries Transform, one comes from Penguin…

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State Library of Iowa Pop YS Newsletter - November 2022

Virtual Summer Library Program Workshops Two Sessions Offered in December: Thursday, December 8: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 13: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Youth Services Consultant Janeé Jackson-Doering will guide…

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